Instagram Live: This Is What You Need To Know

Instagram Live is one of the most awaited features for many Instagram users.

It was announced on Monday that Instagram is now starting to bring its live-streaming features to everyone. Users in the U.S. should already see the new feature when they update the app. For those in other countries, Instagram Live will be made available “over the coming weeks.”

Its features are more like Snapchat than Facebook in that live videos disappear after the stream ends. Instagram says it does this “so you can feel comfortable sharing what you want, anytime.”

When someone you follow is live, it will appear in the Stories section of the app and some users will receive notifications when someone they follow is live (based on an algorithm that determines which followers are most likely to be interested.)

To check whether you have access to live video, swipe into the “Stories” camera in the app and look for “live.” The live broadcasts themselves are similar to those on Facebook. Viewers can comment and add “hearts” to the streams as they watch.

Since they’re so easy to miss, Instagram also has a new way to find live streams to watch — under the Explore tab, there’s a new “Top Live” section for U.S. users that will show a selection of the best content currently on offer as adjudged by the company’s algorithm. That’s actually easier discovery than you’ll find on most competing live video platforms, which is a nice touch.